Parks and Recreation

Why? We beg of you, why? Why, after a mere three new episodes this season were we forced to go without for a week? Why was there no new episode on October 11th? Does the world hate us? Does NBC hate us? Or, were they only making it so that we'd be that much happier today when it returned? That is possible. Today is our anniversary, so maybe NBC views the return of the show as something of a gift to us. Yes, that may be it, that may be exactly what's happening. We thank you, NBC. We thank you, Leslie Knope. All we ask is that we not have to go new episode free again. Ever.

Past Events

Golden Globe winner Amy Poehler returns as Leslie Knope in the hilarious sixth season of Parks and Recreation. The citizens of Pawnee loathe their merger with the neighboring town of Eagleton, and blame all their troubles—both real and imagined—on Councilwoman Knope. The personal lives of those in City Hall are equally as tumultuous: Andy (Chris Pratt) must temporarily say "cheerio" to his wife, April (Aubrey Plaza), when he takes a dream job in London; Ron (Nick Offerman) adjusts to his new domestic roles; and Ann (Rashida Jones) and Chris (Rob Lowe) eagerly await the birth of their child… if they can survive the woes of pregnancy. From Primetime Emmy Award-winning executive producers Greg Daniels ("The Office") and Michael Schur ("The Office," "Saturday Night Live") comes this three-disc set featuring a sensational ensemble cast and iconic guest stars such as Lucy Lawless, Henry Winkler, Heidi Klum, Kristen Bell and Sam Elliot. Take a trip to the small town with the big heart as you watch all 22 episodes back-to-back and commercial free!

Here we are at the end of another "Parks and Rec" season. Lesley Knope and the band of misfits which surround her are going to be back with all-new episodes during the next television season (we won't say "fall" in case NBC schedules new episodes to begin next winter), but tonight mark the last batch of funny they will bring in season six. So as to provide you with all the information we have as of this writing, the season finale is entitled "Moving up." Imagine what you will based upon that information and your knowledge of what has taken place thus far this year.

If you read that flyover description, we promise you, it's correct -- this is episode 100 of "Parks and Recreation." Don't you say Knope to us, we're not kidding, it's episode 100. We don't know if the rules still state that the series can now live on syndication forever, but we do know this -- hitting episode 100 is worth celebrating. Think about the number of years a series needs to be on, needs to have followers, needs to entice people to watch on a weekly basis in order to hit 100 episodes. Celebrate the number with "Parks and Rec" tonight.

Okay, we'll admit it -- we were upset when we heard that "Parks and Rec" was going to disappear for a few weeks. We are, however, totally getting over our upset with these two weeks of back-to-back episodes we've gotten. Seriously. Think about it, what's better than one episode of "Parks and Rec?" That's right, two episodes of "Parks and Rec" and two episodes of "Parks and Rec" is exactly what we're getting tonight. Come on, Pawnee, make us laugh (so little does these days).

As you well know, "Parks & Recreation" has been off the air for a number of weeks and that has made many (us included) incredibly sad. Well, that sadness gets to be abated (somewhat) tonight as "Parks & Rec" returns with back-to-back new episodes. Let us knot worry about whether it's a late Halloween episode or a late recall vote episode or, potentially, both. Let us, instead, be happy that the show is back, or, if you prefer, that it has been recalled to our television screens.

Tonight's episode of "Parks and Recreation" is called "Doppelgangers" and deals with Pawnee Parks people working with their Eagleton counterparts. We therefore, semi-blindly assume that Pawnee people will recognize some of the Eagleton people as their funhouse mirror twins. Not only that, but Kristen Bell is back tonight and she's bringing Sam Elliot, June Raphael, and BIlly Eichner with her.

Season six. Stop and think about that for a minute, this is season six of "Parks and Recreation." Six. Did you ever think "Parks and Rec" would get that far? Did you ever believe that you'd still be watching new episodes of this series? Well, we did. We had hope. We had faith. We, like Pawnee itself, are a believer. There are big changes coming later this season on "Parks and Recreation," tune in tonight and see how the prodcuers begin building to those changes.

Leslie Knope (Poehler) takes on new challenges as the newly-elected City Councilwoman of Pawnee, Indiana. She stands her ground for what she believes in and puts up a strong fight, all while balancing her personal relationship with Ben and planning for a wedding. Meanwhile, assistant Andy (Pratt) pursues a career in law enforcement, Ann (Jones) makes a dramatic life decision, and Ron (Offerman) is smitten with a new lady.

As of our writing this at the beginning of April--and we promise to try to update should things change--"Parks and Recreation" has not yet been renewed for a sixth season. If you're someone who only saw the first season of "Parks and Recreation," you might not think that truly depressing, but if you're someone who stuck with the show after its rocky beginning, you're probably not happy hearing that it hasn't yet been renewed. But, renewed or no, don't miss the end of season five. You will miss the funny if you miss the end of the season and then you'll just be sad and no one wants that.

Next week, with double, but not back-to-back, episodes, "Parks and Recreation" is going to end its fifth season. How should we feel about that? Should we be happy because, improbably, the show has had five seasons or should we be sad because said fifth season is coming to an end?

While valid, those are questions for next week. This week we don't have to worry about such things, this week we only have to watch the penultimate week in the season and rejoice that there is more "Parks and Rec" to come next week.

The last time we got a new episode of "Parks and Recreation," heck, the last time we got an old episode of "Parks and Recreation," it was on at 9:30. Now, the show will air at 8:30. Of course, before it was 9:30 it was 8:30 and before that it was 9:30 and before that it was 10:30 and before that 8:30. There were also a couple of random 10:00 and 10:30 episodes at various times, all of which is to say that "Parks and Recreation" has bounced around various time slots over the course of its run, but you, the loyal "Parks and Rec" viewer has followed it no matter where it has gone. Follow it again tonight and laugh, for it is good.

What is that saying? You can't keep a good rec department down? That may be the saying, but we're here to tell you that it isn't entirely the truth -- there was a sign up by the local pool here back in March that said the thing was going to be closed for all of summer 2012 and that wasn't a lie, it was closed all summer. Man, if only we had someone like Leslie Knope here maybe that wouldn't have happened. Sadly though, we don't and it did. We're moving to Pawnee.

Four-time Primetime Emmyr Award nominee Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation) returns for the hilarious fourth season of Parks and Recreation. The ever-enthusiastic Leslie Knope (Poehler) has her sights set on the City Council, but political campaigns are never easy - Leslie must deal with shady journalists, a deep-pocketed opponent (guest star Paul Rudd), bus accidents, and even a still-smitten old flame in her quest to serve her beloved hometown. This Peabody Award-winning season features "TV's funniest ensemble cast" (Entertainment Weekly) and phenomenal guest stars including Rudd (Knocked Up), Megan Mullally (Will and Grace) and Louis C.K. (Louie). Catch all 22 episodes uninterrupted and commercial free, from Primetime Emmyr Award winners Greg Daniels (The Office, The Simpsons) and Michael Schur (The Office, Saturday Night Live).

Leslie decides she needs to find Ann a new man just in time for Valentine's Day; Ben must ask Ron for help when he can't figure out Leslie's elaborate Valentine's Day scavenger hunt; Chris is depressed about the status of his love life.

Sean Hayes is going to be on "Parks and Recreation" tonight as a gentleman named Buddy Wood who happens to have an Indianapolis-based talk show. That's a good thing for Leslie what with the hopes and dreams that she is currently exploring. Plus, it's a good thing for us because Sean Hayes tends to be hysterical. We like Sean Hayes. We thought he was funny on "Will and Grace" and oh-so-many other places that we've seen him. Additionally, tonight is the winter finale for "Parks and Rec," so this is your last chance for a while to see a new episode... how can you pass that up?

There are certain concepts which amuse us to no end and "Parks and Recreation" regularly come up with such ideas. Tonight's episode certainly contains at least one of those -- Leslie Knope holding a bowling event as a part of her campaign. We don't quite know why that idea strikes us as funny, but it does, and we imagine that it must have struck the writers of the series as funny too because, after all, this is a comedy and they try to have funny ideas on the air. A cold calling effort will also be a part of tonight's episode, but that's not as funny as the bowling... at least not on the surface.

People, it had to happen sooner or later -- the end of the world had to arrive at some point. On tonight's episode of "Parks and Rec," a local Pawnee group predicts that the world is in fact ending sooner rather than later. As you can imagine, that throws the folks on the show into quite a tizzy. Well, maybe 'tizzy' isn't the right word, maybe 'insanely contemplative' are the right words. You know the people on this show, you know how weird they are, just imagine what will happen when they believe that the sky is truly falling. Chicken Little anyone?

People out there love Ron Swanson, they love him. No, really, go find someone who watches "Parks and Recreation" (search, you'll find someone... eventually) and ask them about Ron Swanson. You'll likely get some sort of 'you mean Ron 'Freakin'' Swanson?' response. You know what else they love? They love when Megan Mullally guest stars on the show as Tammy, and that's exactly what she's going to be doing tonight. Plus, Patricia Clarkson will be there as Tammy One. It's going to be a big night people. A big night.

There is a lot to enjoy on "Parks and Recreation," everything from Ron Swanson's particular brand of awesome to that of Tom Haverford. Perhaps though the reason the show works so well is that it presents a view of government which is both utterly insane and the exact sort of configuration which we all can kind of believe to be true. Maybe "Parks and Recreation" rather than just being a sitcom is in fact a reality-horror-sitcom full of 'it's funny because it's true' humor.

There is a sign by the local community pool near us stating that the pool will be closed for the 2011 season. That sign went up months ago, when snow was still covering the ground. If we lived in Pawnee we'd have to wonder if anyone within the government finally started to truly get to explore their ideal of shutting the whole thing down. Perhaps though, despite our not living in Indiana, the long arm of the local government has had a hand in this action. The truth may just be revealed tonight on the "Parks and Rec" season finale.
Read Alan Sepinwall's review of the previous episode here.

Come on now, you don't really need another reason to watch "Parks and Recreation" do you? Surely the show's own, distinctive, brand of humor is enough to entice you on a fairly regular basis to tune into this off-beat comedy on the NBC Thursday night lineup. Truth be told though, all of the comedies which air this night are off-beat so we'll throw a little added incentive your way for this week's "Parks and Rec" - Parker Posey is on! That's right, the Parker Posey is on. Incentive added. Tune in assured. Win to us.

As you undoubtedly remember, in November of 2009 Megan Mullally first appeared on "Parks and Recreation" as the ex-wife of Ron. She attempted to use Ron for her own purposes. You should probably expect her to be equally nefarious (and equally hysterical) in her appearance again this week. We're not exactly sure what it is that she's going to want, but she's going to want something, she pretty much has to (otherwise why would she be back?). Will Ron get the better of her or will she manage to fulfill her wishes? As long as there's funny, does it matter?

"Parks and Recreation" tends to make good use of their guest stars, and tonight we're getting a pretty great one with Will Forte. Forte, perhaps best known for his character MacGruber, is going to be on "Parks and Recreation" as a Pawnee local. There's some idea being floated about the creation of a time capsule in the episode and Forte's character makes the whole thing a wee bit more difficult than it might otherwise have been which pretty much sounds like what Forte's characters do on a regular basis anywhere that they may appear.

Boy, wow, have we waited a long time for this. "Parks and Recreation" is finally - FINALLY - back on the air with new episodes. It's being done as a part of NBC's brand-spanking new three hour Thursday comedy lineup, but even if the three hours of funny don't work out, we can't imagine that the blame is going to lie with Poehler and company. Listen, if you only watched season one and didn't tune back in for season two, you didn't do yourself any favors - season two was great and we're hoping for season three to be even better (kind of a tall order, but possible). Whatever happens though, we're just happy the show is back.

Before watching this series we wondered why so little ever seemed to get done on the local government level. Now we are amazed that anything ever gets done at all. Some would refer to this show as a sitcom, we certainly prefer to believe that the documentary aspects of it are all quite real - that government does in fact operate in this fashion. That's right, we're taking an 'it's funny because it's true' stand on "Parks and Recreation." Come on, you know you think the same exact thing.

Andy Samberg is putting in an appearance on "Parks and Recreation" tonight as the head park ranger. We're not sure at this point if he is the head park ranger for all of Pawnee or just the park that Jerry finds himself mugged in, but assume that all will be made clear over the course of the episode. We have to say that we're hoping that he turns out to be the head park ranger for a nice little park with a children's playground and not much else. That would seem about right for Pawnee.

Good old Dan Fielding. We remember him and the way he zealously prosecuted those who came before the inimitable Judge Harry T. Stone. As we recall, he did quite well, with the vast majority of people he prosecuted getting convicted of the crimes with which they were charged (they tended to end up with $50 and time served as their sentence). Larroquette has done many a thing since then however, like tonight, when he'll be guest starring on "Parks and Recreation" as Leslie's mom's lost love. What could be better for Valentine's Day than a reunion of us with Mr. Larroquette?